Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Ashburn, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Ashburn, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $3,366 in Ashburn, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,487 in Ashburn, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,608 in Ashburn, VA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 7% more expensive than Ashburn, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Ashburn, VA 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$20.13 $20.13

23.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$81.1 $81.1

45.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$13.44 $13.44

2.46%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.96 $5.96

-4.19%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.84 $2.84

7.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.56 $2.56

-2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.60 $6.60

18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.78 $7.78

1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.12 $1.12

20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.47 $3.47

45.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.23 $6.23

-13.48%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$5.02 $5.02

36.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$19.46 $19.46

28.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$12.26 $12.26

29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$22.04 $22.04

-6.58%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.62 $5.62

9.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.76 $1.76

60.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$7.03 $7.03

-21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.67 $6.67

1.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.61 $3.61

-12.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.82 $2.82

35.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.27 $2.27

18.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$8.10 $8.10

43.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$18.02 $18.02

-12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.76 $1.76

66.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.84 $3.84

10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.21 $2.21

27.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$71.3 $71.3

40.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.56 $4.56

-42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.40 $1.40

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$29.32 $29.32

3.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.89 $0.89

33.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.7K $32.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

21.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.9K $24.9K

4.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$263 $263

$211 $211

24.40%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$63.1 $63.1

-3.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$67.1 $67.1

13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$61.7 $61.7

28.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$12.16 $12.16

228.04%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.74 $14.74

10.38%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,281 $2,281

$1,697 $1,697

34.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$24.3K $24.3K

20.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$48.09 $48.09

42.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$49.14 $49.14

5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$97.7 $97.7

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$144 $144

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,900 $1,900

22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,797 $1,797

3.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$4,169 $4,169

11.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,248 $2,248

54.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$3,002 $3,002

158.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$3,095 $3,095

69.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$7,437 $7,437

-11.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.57

-2.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ashburn, VA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,900 in Ashburn, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in Ashburn, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $485 per month, with Ashburn, VA cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs Ashburn, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Ashburn, VA differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $3,366 including rent). Ashburn, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ashburn, VA earns 12% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,900 in Ashburn, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,697 in Ashburn, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ashburn, VA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ashburn, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.